1990 F150 resto from hell.

[e30bradley]

Yeah.. It will be a nice ride when it's all done.

 

[MP&C]

Looks like you've had quite a learning experience, the rust repairs are looking good. Kind of reminds me of the pickup that Etec tackled, another that was borderline scrap metal..

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50692

That may lift your spirits a bit, I think yours is slightly less damage, if that's possible.

had a spot I repaired a hair low. Is acrylic glazing putty okay? My friend says so but he's not up to date on paint technology.

Acrylic glazing putty is subject to shrinking defects from exposure to the solvents of the paint applied over top of it. If used to fill scratches and other minor defects, the repair normally lasts long enough to get it out the door (if that), but given a bit of time will end up showing those defects in the paint as it shrinks, it's just not stable enough. I believe it was originally marketed to fill the pin holes that appear in filler after sanding, and it likely did a decent job of that. It's ease of use in not having to mix something likely led to misusing the product and the subsequent defects. Today's catalyzed products are hands down a better choice.

 

[e30bradley]

Acrylic glazing putty is subject to shrinking defects from exposure to the solvents of the paint applied over top of it. If used to fill scratches and other minor defects, the repair normally lasts long enough to get it out the door (if that), but given a bit of time will end up showing those defects in the paint as it shrinks, it's just not stable enough. I believe it was originally marketed to fill the pin holes that appear in filler after sanding, and it likely did a decent job of that. It's ease of use in not having to mix something likely led to misusing the product and the subsequent defects. Today's catalyzed products are hands down a better choice.[/QUOTE]

I plan on grinding out the bit that I used and redoing it with the 2 part polyester putty I usually use.. On the door where its already primed over, thats going to have to stay.

 

[countryroad82]

It's going to shape up nice e30!! Still ***** that your going to own it, but you should be able to make a good sale out of it or heck there is you a shop truck.

 

[e30bradley]

I will keep it for myself.. Its not worth enough to sell it. If I was going to sell it I wouldn't bother with the zf 5spd swap.. While I'm at it I think I should paint the firewall.

 

[monomach]

I don't know what to do.. I have a feeling the guy is just never going to pay me. I wouldn't have done this to this truck if it where mine from the start. I have so much time and money in this truck and the guy hasn't even paid what the parts and supplies cost yet. I'm done working on it but the rocker is fitted and tacked in place..

Always get the money up front when doing side work. Even after a deadbeat finally pays you, you've been through so much aggravation that the job wasn't worth it.

You'll lose some business by charging up front, but you're better off with those people going to Billy Bob down the street who literally does his work under a shade tree.

I learned that lesson back when I was still in school.

 

[e30bradley]

I talked to the owner today, he says he'll bring me the title tomorrow. More updates coming soon.

 

[tadder52]

Nice rust repair.

Sorry to hear about the situation. Good luck getting the title!

 

[Todd.Brock]

Looks good! Come a long way since the Jetta. I'm surprised you're still working on it until you have the title. It s all unknown until it's in your name

 

[e30bradley]

No more updates till I have the title. I should be getting the title Saturday.. My dead line for this truck is ready to hit the road on the 24th of December. I am my own worst enemy, the things I find to do that I don't HAVE to do will probably keep that from happening.

 

[e30bradley]

2 years and 1 month ago I bough a nice, new digital camera.. 2 years 1 month ago I bought a 2 year insurance plan for my camera. 1 month ago my insurance expired.. 1 day ago my camera stopped working

Updates will be made with iphone photos for now ..
I have a 7500 watt heater in the mail, should be here on Monday.
I'll be shooting some epoxy primer at the cab soon.
I SHOULD get the title at 4:00 PM tomorrow.

 

[countryroad82]

Good deal will be watching for pics.

 

[e30bradley]

I got the title. I've never been so happy to lose thousands.. oh wait, I've never been screwed this bad before. I am getting the garage and the truck ready for spraying.. Will be doing 2 coats of epoxy on the whole cab, the cowl area, firewall included as well as the radiator support and the cowl itself, and the windshield frame. I called my epoxy paint co. and the tech. guy told me there is no minimum temperature to spray this stuff I've had my little electric heater running since ~6pm last night and its still going now. Surface temp of the truck is 50-55 degrees and still warming which is good (I've use this paint at this temp and its fine). After 2 coats of epoxy I'll wait 2-3 hours and spray 3 coats high build primer where needed. I will make a proper update latter.

 

[e30bradley]

I got some pretty bad runs in the epoxy because I can't see a damned thing in my garage.. So I went and bought 6, 4' 2 bulb T8 lamps. Hanging them up now. Tomorrow I will sand down the runs and high build prime it. I still have to spray the radiator support with color tonight. I am using a black single stage on it. My computer is too old to use with my phone so I have to email myself each photo one at a time, then download to the computer, then upload to photobucket (which makes my computer useless and or makes safari quit) and then post here. What a pita!

 

[HD FLHX]

If you have a smartphone, Photobucket has a free app you can upload to directly from your phone. That's how I do it.

 

[MP&C]

I got some pretty bad runs in the epoxy because I can't see a damned thing in my garage.. So I went and bought 6, 4' 2 bulb T8 lamps. Hanging them up now. Tomorrow I will sand down the runs and high build prime it. I still have to spray the radiator support with color tonight. I am using a black single stage on it. My computer is too old to use with my phone so I have to email myself each photo one at a time, then download to the computer, then upload to photobucket (which makes my computer useless and or makes safari quit) and then post here. What a pita!

Part of your issue may be that the colder temps and (I'm guessing) inadequate air flow will affect the flash times, where you need to allow more time between coats. Without the first coat properly flashing, anything sprayed on top normally results in runs..

 

[tonydanzah]

So much work, should be great when its done

 

[e30bradley]

Part of your issue may be that the colder temps and (I'm guessing) inadequate air flow will affect the flash times, where you need to allow more time between coats. Without the first coat properly flashing, anything sprayed on top normally results in runs..

I ran the first coat surface temp was ~58F air temp was the same as well as the paint temp. Working on posting some photos, stay tuned.

 

[BBChevro]

Good to hear that this story has a "happy" (or at least, "happier") ending.

The repairs are coming along nicely.

 

[e30bradley]

Engine came out. I wish I had some photos of it while the sludge was running off.. The build up was as thick as a half inch in some spots. This truck (if the odometer is original) has 218,*** miles on it. It seems like the engine leaked since.. forever.

after rinsing:


Cab corner prior to spot blasting.. No photos of it after blasting but I spot blasted all the rust pits I could.


Here is the rocker and a pillar I grafted in. A wipe of filler on the weld and where it had a ding, then a light coat on the a pillar. This photo is prior to sanding the filler on the a pillar and its a very thin coat. With or without filler its not perfect.



The slushbox came out and the crossmember as well.. Now I could paint the inside of the frame under the cab. This is how the whole frame looked, only light surface rust, NO rot.



Wire wheelin makes a hell of a dust cloud. To cold for ventilation..


after wire wheeling and being wiped down thoroughly with w/g remover.


After that I hit the frame with 80 grit on a 3" roloc pad


engine crossmember


Do not put paint in a cup like this. The cup dissolved...


every nook and cranny coated, twice.


Masking.. Not something I have done a ton of.


windshield masked, I wire wheeled the color coat out of the door jambs as well as the firewall because the paint dissolved with w/g remover... stripped the room/windshield posts completely due to small bits of rust under the paint. After wire wheeling I smoothed everything down with 320 on the DA and by hand.



Firewall detail. I removed all old seam sealer pretty much everywhere and re applied new after epoxy primer.


Many hours where spent scuffing this thing everywhere I could reach. Thats a new aftermarket part.


Cowl..


I mixed 2 sprayable quarts of epoxy.


then I did this.. Lighting in my garage is terrible. These two photos are after I wiped the run with 400 grit and then sprayed a second coat. Tomorrow I will sand the runs out and maybe spray high build tomorrow. The roof has some issues, its been dented and this flimsy roof is hard to work with. I thought it was straight but once the paint hits it...




I fixed the lighting issue... Sort of. I though the lights would have one male input cord and a female cord that I could plug another light into to chain them together. I don't have enough extension cords so I have to get these all up and working somehow before I paint again.

6 T8 4' lights and 2 boxes of 10 bulbs.


Rocker


seam sealed over the epoxy after maybe 5 hours of drying.


Radiator support got 2 coats of epoxy then 2 coats of single stage gloss black.

 

[countryroad82]

Lookin' good!!!!!

 

[e30bradley]

Today I sanded out the runs. The epoxy I use sanded surprisingly well. After that I seam sealed a few more spots and wiped the truck down again. Then I mixed the last of my high build primer. I only had a little over 2 sprayable quarts left. That was enough to spot a few areas and then do 3 coats on the roof and quarter panels across the rear window area, 2 coats in the jambs and A pillar/ windshield post and across the back of the cab, and then 1 coat in the engine bay. The roof is not perfect.. I didn't get the seam sealer on as nice as I would have liked to in the gutters. I don't have much experience with seam sealer or caulking of any sort.

The radiator support has e-coat, two heavy coats epoxy, and two coats ss black (urethane). I could have flipped it around and done one more coat so that all the crevasses are covered but I'm not going to bother. I think it came out great. Edit: I touched up a few light spots with an aerosol can of gloss black rustoleum



Pinholes in the driver side cab corner.


A wipe of polyester (2 part) putty.


about 2.25 sprayable quarts HB primer



I have three of these guns. Its a rebranded, overpriced Sharpe Finex.





The rocker I repaired.

 

[Murphy4570]

Your gonna have the only brand new 1990 F-150 in the world when you are done. Might as well make the thing 4x4 and put a V8 in, as your gonna own that truck for the rest of your life. That's the only way you're gonna get your money's worth out of it, by driving it for the next 20-30 years.

 

[MP&C]

Quite an improvement over what you started with! I normally say the best vehicle to practice on is someone else's, but I guess that doesn't apply here any more..

 

[e30bradley]

Yep... I'll keep it till I wreck it. I have a 1989 351w sitting in my garage. I wouldn't use it until I get at least heads and a cam kit but I could run that in here, or my ranger. I do like the straight sixes quite a lot. I think I'm going to ditch the open 3.08 rear in this truck and get 3.73 LS. Not anytime soon but 3.08 just doesn't work for me. With the 235/75/15 tire's 28.88" diameter and my ZF 5spd's 5th gear being .78:1 I am turning only 1780 rpm at 65 mph! I think its so tall that it will hurt my fuel economy because I only drive highway about 15 miles at a time usually.

I've been told that no amount of bare metal is acceptable under basecoat. Is that true? If so I will seal everything with thinned epoxy and spray base over that. Today I've been scuffing the firewall, almost done. I really wish I had masked the frame, my gloss black frame is now covered in primer and looks like ****. I'm going to try and wipe it with lacquer thinner. I could also scruff the entire frame and do one more coat of chassis saver but thats a lot of work and it doesn't need more coats.

I am definitely not converting it to 4x4. I don't even like f150s! pretty much I like rangers, f100s, and f350s. Most people in NJ don't need 4x4s.. I'm not into off-roading so 2wd with lsd and some weight should be fine. I'm also a snow tire user.

 

[SteveH-CO]

Excellent photos and story. You're a diligent worker on this truck! Are radiator shells on this model so prone to rusting out that you have to bury them in so much primer and paint? I guess you're planning on driving this truck in the winter on salted roads....

 

[e30bradley]

Excellent photos and story. You're a diligent worker on this truck! Are radiator shells on this model so prone to rusting out that you have to bury them in so much primer and paint? I guess you're planning on driving this truck in the winter on salted roads....

All the trucks of this era that lived in NJ are completely rotted out. The radiator support is usually disintegrated. This truck's rad support had rust and it was mangled. The radiator on my '97 ranger is pretty rotted as well. When I get around to painting that truck I will have to r&r that rad support. On rangers its welded in. I do plan on driving this truck in the winter but I will probably take it to my friend's shop once a week to hose it down. The hose at my house lives outside and is frozen this time of year. I am also using fluid film during the reassembly process. In the spring I may put a sink and hose in my garage, only time will tell but until then I have no way to wash cars in the winter.
As I said earlier, this truck was clean for NJ (rust wise). The photos I posted of the 4x4 I used to have are what a typical NJ ford from 87-91 looks like.

Todays update:

I ordered some more high build primer instead of getting $Du-pont locally. I ordered early on Monday, it shipped on Tuesday and won't be here until the following Wednesday.. In the mean time I will do everything I can to get it ready to hit a few low spots with more primer. Scuffing door jambs, firewall, windshield and rear glass frames, all seam sealer is done, finish blocking P/S door, etc.. Tomorrow I will be taking some engine bits to my uncle's and glass bead blasting them. I told myself I need to not do things I don't need to do but I have time since I can't shoot more primer until a week from now. I could Paint the intake black, grey, or the metallic purple color I have. I don't want to get to crazy but I really don't have a whole lot I can do until the truck is ready for color. I should probably get new injectors since this thing has 218K on it but I am so broke. Anyone need some car parts? I have tons of parts from:
97 jetta
95 cabrio (doors, 2 2.0 engines)
92 jetta
95 blazer (t-case, front axle)
89 f250 (x2)
this truck (good E4OD)
95 firebird (3.4 heads, hatch, p/s door)
98 ranger, 94 ranger, 97 ranger..

I changed the gear oil today. AT first glance the oil looked okay. It looked clean because it hasn't been moved more than a few feet in the garage over the last 2 months. During that time all the sludge settled, I wiped out handfuls of thick black junk with lots of shiny bearing material in it.

 

[scarney1988]

I give you credit for taking the time to get the title. I would have probably destroyed all VIN and SN data, threw the license plate in a dumpster, scraped the stickers and then reported the vehicle as abandoned.

At least you will have a nice vintage truck when you are done, but damn be nice if the guy followed his original agreement lol.

As far as your injectors, maybe get them flushed and rebuilt?? Not sure what new injectors would set you back for a price comparison.

Looks good though. Keep updating.

 

[Jagmandave]

Painting in a closed garage like this......aren't you getting overspray all over everything?

 

[countryroad82]

E30, on your question about basecoat not covering bare metal, yes spray sealer over everything before you spray. It's just added insurance, plus it will help you not have to use as much base to color everything in.

Jagmandave, most of the time you don't get the overspray that one used to with the old siphon guns. I paint in a bigger shop but normally when I spray paint or primer I just cover the things I don't want overspray on, like my boxes, and go to town.

 

[e30bradley]

The overspray isn't too bad. With activated urethanes the overspray is dry by the time is settles. I do have some dry dust on my new box.
https://store.snapon.com/KRSC46-Series-Roll-Carts-Roll-Cart-Large-6-Drawers-Gloss-Black-P747219.aspx
That thing was over $1800 with tax and I really need to buy 2 2" drawers to replace one of the 4" drawers for it. All my older boxes I don't care about some overspray on them.. They hold my tools and since I don't plan on selling them I'm not worried about hurting resale. I took some parts to my auncles today and tried to blast em but it was going incredibly slow.. He uses glass beads and says the media is really worn out. I am going to get a siphon feed spot blaster and just put down some plastic to try and reclaim the media. I have tried to clean cast alu. so many different ways over the last 4+ years and I tried again today but the whole time I am just thinking every minute I try doing this any way other than media blasting is a waste of time. I don't like doing things wrong or twice.. Especially when it comes to paint prep! I'll seal the whole truck with 1:1+20% reduced epoxy before spraying base.
Scarney1988 what does this mean??
"At least you will have a nice vintage truck when you are done, but damn be nice if the guy followed his original agreement lol."

 

[Todd.Brock]

He means it would be nice if you got paid .

 

[e30bradley]

He means it would be nice if you got paid .

OH.. I DO NOT WANT THIS TRUCK. I would have never put this much money into this thing.. With the amount of money I have in this truck I could have refreshed my 351w and got heads and cam and put it in my ranger AND painted the it.. And then some. I am really an F-350 kinda guy anyway.

I have been prepping some aluminum engine bits for paint since I thought I wouldn't have more primer until Wednesday but it actually got here on Saturday. To late now. I'll be painting a lot of parts with the same ss black I used on the rad support. Brake booster, intake plenum, TB, alternator/air pump bracket, power steering/ a/c bracket.. I am using a spot blaster to prep them now. I don't like these things. They make a mess 10ft around where you are using it and they are wasteful because all that abrasive should be getting recirculated in a cabinet, instead its all over the floor. I'll put some more photos up soon.

I am painting the wheels too... They are really crusty on the back side, especially the spot that was down towards the ground when this truck sat on dirt for 6+ years. The wheels are only rated to hold 1900lbs when they are new.. Now I am not even sure if they are safe with that much weight.

 

[-Brent-]

You made out a lot better than others by getting the title. I think both sides of this debacle can share a bit of blame. Granted, this guy shouldn't have gone into a project without $ and of course we don't know his side... however, I think the lessons you learned or that I hope/assume you learned are worth MUCH more than any money you "lost" on this deal.

Had that guy been a shady character, he could have gotten his truck back and left you with nothing but some legal bills.

Anyway, all that said, I'm happy for you to get out of this mess in decent shape. The truck is shaping up well.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Engine came out. I wish I had some photos of it while the sludge was running off.. The build up was as thick as a half inch in some spots. This truck (if the odometer is original) has 218,*** miles on it. It seems like the engine leaked since.. forever.

after rinsing:

Yep, 4.9L leaked a lot.

Replace the valve cover and side cover gaskets is about the best you can do.

 

[e30bradley]

I changed a lot of gaskets. Oil pan, pickup tube, valve cover, timing cover, oil galley, egr valve, intake plenum, t-b, new egr pipe, new valve cover grommets.. Should be leak free when it fires up. Not going to be for a while. I've been working on the truck a bit. Nothing too exiting.

 

[rednotch]

way too much work for a dime a dozen old f150. Best and cheapest way I saw someone local do to make it presentable was to paint it with tinted bedliner from the factory two tone line down. Looked decent for what it was being a beater and hid most of the body work. It looked pretty decent, almost like a rock guard texture. A good 10 footer but still looks better then 90% of those you still see in NJ.

Honestly I would part it once you have the title, dumping more money and time into you will be lucky to get half back if you plan on selling once its done.

 

[e30bradley]

Thanks for your opinion. You should part out your mustang too. Its old and slow, you won't get back half what you have in it..

 

[rednotch]

lol don't take advice on something you said you don't want, yet continue to dump money into as a dig.

 

[e30bradley]

I decided a while back that the only option is to finish the truck and drive it. I might sell it someday (at a huge loss) but either way I want to use it a while. I would sell it because I need more capacity. Parts from these trucks are worth nothing (I have parted one before). actually, used parts from any car is a pita, no one pays much for them. I have over $3K of parts that I would be stuck with... All that time completely thrown away. If I finish it at least I can drive it. Better to have 10k in a 5k truck than 8K in a pile of parts no one will buy?..